Fountain paintbrush



1929' L. G. NALKER 1,733,144

FOUNTAIN PAINTBRUSH Filed Oct. 1927.

Patented Oct. 29, 1929 PATENT OFFICE LILLIAN e. WALKER, or NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS FOUNTAIN AINTBRUSH- Application filed October 1, 1927. Serial No. 223,339.

This invention relates to fountain paint brushes and has for its main object to provide a brush of the type disclosed in which paint will be fed continuously to the periphcry of the bristles and be caused to flow down D the parts in a different relative position.

the exterior layers of the bristles to a greater extent than to the interior of the brush, a condition which greatly increases the chi cienoy of the brush.

Another obj ectof-this invention is to provide a fountain brush capable of withstanding hard usage. The core oithe brush is made solid and is bound. by metal bands, there being no interior paint conduits to thus weaken the structure. 1

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure wherein a solid mass of bristles may be employed which is one of the important advantages of the ordinary type of brush which is used by dipping into a pall of paint.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fountain brush which has interchangeable bristle-holding elements; thereby supplying" the meansof renewing the bristles" whenever they become worn. Y 7

A further object is to provide a fountain brush that is readily cleaned after use. By removing the bristle holding element, free access may be had to the various parts of the device which are subject to becoming clogged and rendered inoperative.

Other objects and features will more fully appear in the following description and claims and will be particularly pointed out in the drawings.

Briefly the brush consists of a hollow handle member to contain the paint into which is detachably secured a bristle holding element. This latter feature makes it possible to have brushes of various shapes and sizes from which may be chosen abrush. suit-able for the particular work at hand. The handle has at one end a valve and a. compressible bulb at its other end with which the flow of paint to the bristles is controlled. In the drawing I have illustrated one particular embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of thebrush.

Fig. 2 isa cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig.3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing Fig; 1 is a section on line 4.4 of Fig. 1. Fig; 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a bristleholding element in which the mass of bristles are rectangular in form.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a hollowhandle having an enlarged base 2 at its lower end and a compressible bulb 3 of rubber or other Suitable material. The lower end of the handle is closed by a flanged wall 4, which has a valve member 5 fitted closely thereto. The wall at is provided with a series of apertures 6 and the valve member 5 isprovided with a series of cooperating apertures 7 which maybe brought into or out of align- I ment by rotating the valve member 5 about its pivot 8. 'The lower edge of the handle 1 is provided with a bead 9 which extends into a groove-in the valve member 5 to retain thevalve member tightly against the wall 4. The

valve member 5 is provided with an extension 10 which overlies a portion of the lower section 2 of. the handle. This extension provides a ready meansof rotating the valve member.

The inner "vertical wall of the valve member 5 is provided with screw threads 4..

A bristle-holding element 11 is provided and has screw threads at its upper end adapted to be engaged by the threads 4' in the valve member. The bristle-holding member is of special construct-ion. It is composed of a core of bristle-anchoring.material 12 which Secures one end of the bristles 13; Surroundingjthefcore' of anchoring material isia metal band composed of two concentric sections 14 I and 15. The internal section 15'is formed with a plurality of paint conduits 16. It will benoted that the section 14: of the band is extended downwardly over a portion of the lgristl ps, thus forming a peripheral chamer'l Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate the action of the valve member in controlling the flow of paint. In Fig. 2 the valve member is rotated so that flow to the conduits 16 and thence to the brisside down position, air

tles 13. Fig. 3 shows the apertures 6 and 7 in a position out of alignment which effectually stops the flow of paint.

To operate the device, the valve member 5 is rotated to align the apertures 6 and 7, which allows the paint to flow. The bulb 3 is then manually compressed, which forces paint through the valve openings and thence through the conduits 16 to the chamber 17 where it is directed against and forced into the external layers of the bristles and flows down the bristles in the proper manner to be applied to the surface of the objectto be.

painted.

Obviously when the device is not in use, the valve is closed to prevent further flow of paint '30 the bristles. In order to restore atmospheric pressure within the handle, the bulb 3 is provided with an inwardly opening check valve 19. This valve is necessary in order to permit the bulb to return to its normal condition' after it has been manipulated. To introduce paint into the handle,'the bulb 3 is removed, thus providing access to the paint chamber 20.

Fig. 6 illustrates a bristle-holding member having a cylindrical end adapted to be received by the handle, but having its mass of bristles rectangular in shape as distinguished from the brush of circular cross section illustrated in the main views. It will thus be seen that a brush having any desired shape may be similarly adapted to use in this device.

In using the brush in a more or less upright positiomthe paint will flow by gravity from the reservoir in the handle into the peripheral chamber surrounding the bristles and thence on to the exterior surface of the bristles, thus enabling the paint to be applied in a most economical and efiicient manner. When the brush is'held in the opposite or uppressure applied by means of the bulb will force the paint from the reservoir into the peripheral chamber and thence on to the bristles. Thus by aid of the ulb the brush is available for use in any position.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is: p

1. A fountain paint brush comprising a handle hollow to constitute a reservoir for the paint and provided with a longitudinally projecting rim, a bristle-holding member having a solid core of bristles secured therein and de'ta'chably securedto the handle within the rim, the said member having a skirt extending longitudinally part way of the bristle core having its lower edge positioned to engage the bristles to form therewith a pcripheral chamber, the said member also presenting a plurality of conduits extending from the top thereof to the peripheral chamber, whereby paint fed from the handle reservoir may flow through said conduits into the peripheral chamber and thus be fed to the exterior layer of the bristles.

2. A brush having the construction defined in' claim 1, together with hand operated means including a collapsible bulb, an inwardly opening check valve adapted to cooperate with saidmeans to create pressure or to prevent a vacuum within the reservoir thereby respectively forcing paint to the bristles or allowing it to flow by gravity thereto.

3. A fountain brush for freely flowing paint comprising a handle hollow to constitute a reservoir for the paint and provided with a longitudinally projecting rim, a bris: tle-holding member having a solid core of bristles'secured therein and detachably secured to the handle within the rim the said member having a skirt extending longitudinally part way of the bristle core having its lower edge positioned to engage the bristles to form therewith a peripheral chamber, the said member also presenting a plurality of conduits extending from the top thereof to said peripheral chamber, whereby paint fed from the handle reservoir said conduits into the peripheral chamber may flow through.

and thus be fed to the exteriorlayer of the v bristles and acheck valve opening inwardly to the reservoir whereby the escape of liquid therefrom is prevented when brush is in inverted position or such position that the paint I have signed 

